2026 Self-Employment Tax Calculator
Estimate your self-employment tax, income tax and total tax due in seconds. IRS-aligned formulas, instant real-time calculation.
Your Income & Expenses
Estimated 2026 Tax Breakdown
* Estimates only. Figures are for educational purposes and do not constitute professional tax advice.
About the Self-Employment Tax Calculator
2026 IRS Tax Brackets
This calculator uses the latest 2026 federal tax brackets for single, married filing jointly, head of household, and married filing separately filers. Top rates range from 10% to 37%.
How SE Tax Is Applied
Self-employment tax (15.3%) applies to 92.35% of your net business income up to $168,600 in 2026. Above that threshold, only the 2.9% Medicare portion continues to apply.
Instant Real-Time Calculation
Every number on this page updates the moment you change any input — no "Calculate" button needed. Your data never leaves your browser.
Plan Ahead with Quarterly Taxes
Need to set up quarterly estimated payments? Use our Quarterly Estimated Tax Calculator to compute your four IRS Form 1040-ES installments.
Self-Employment Tax FAQs
Self-employment tax is 15.3% on your net self-employment income up to $168,600 (2026). This covers Social Security (12.4%) and Medicare (2.9%). The net is calculated as 92.35% of your gross self-employment income.
You generally must pay self-employment tax if your net earnings from self-employment are $400 or more. If you earn less, no SE tax is owed, but you still may need to file a return to report the income.
Yes. You can deduct 50% of your self-employment tax as an above-the-line deduction on Form 1040. This reduces your AGI and lowers your federal income tax bill.
A common rule of thumb is 25–30% of your self-employment income. This covers federal income tax, self-employment tax (15.3%), and any state income tax. Use this calculator to get a more accurate number.